Cadillac & LaSalle Club Potomac Region Caddie Chronicle · Bob Crimmins’ wife, Clara, on their...

Cadillac & LaSalle Club

Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

BY DAN RUBY

First of all, I would like to say thank you for the prayers, emails and messages sent by members concerning my recent surgery.

Things seem to be going well. Also, Juan Aranda gives thanks for prayers sent his way as he is recovering from heart surgery.

Please keep him in your thoughts as well as Roger Bentley and Bob Crimmins’ wife, Clara, on their respective illnesses.

We send our thoughts and prayers to Ilene Lesiger and her family on the passing of

Larry Lesiger, long-time CLC member and Treasurer (pictured left). In 2006, they

participated in our Region’s Eldorado Extravaganza car show at Capitol Cadillac with their 1964 Eldorado, and were

featured in the Hemmings Classic Car article on the event (see below). Larry’s

passing is a tremendous loss for our Club.

Our 2020 membership renewal drive is going well, but there are

still members who haven’t renewed yet. If you received a renewal form in the US mail and haven’t renewed yet, please send your form and dues payment to Bill Hilliard by December

15th. If you are interested in attending our annual Holiday Party, please see the flyer on page 2 with RSVP information. Thanks to

Daniel Jobe, we will once again have a space at the 2020 Washington Auto Show. Volunteers are needed (see flyer on page

5).

Last but not least, JoJo & I want to wish each and every one of

you a healthy, safe & happy holiday season!

Dan Ruby

2019 OFFICERS:

REGIONAL DIRECTOR

AUTOMOBILIA AUCTIONEER

SUMMER PICNIC HOST

DAN RUBY

ASSISTANT REGIONAL DIRECTOR CENTRAL VA REGION LIAISON

NEWSLETTER COLUMNIST

CHUCK PIEL

TREASURER

BILL HILLIARD

SECRETARY

ASSOCIATE NEWSLETTER EDITOR

SANDY KEMPER

ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR

EVENT PHOTOGRAPHER

RANDY EDISON

CAR SHOW COORDINATOR


VALLEY FORGE REGION LIAISON

LYNN GARDNER

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR

FRANKLIN GAGE

NEWSLETTER EDITOR

WEBSITE MANAGER

VINCE TALIANO

NATIONAL DIRECTOR

NEWSLETTER COLUMNIST JACK MCCLOW

OTHER KEY POSITIONS:


RITA BIAL-BOXLEY


CHRIS CUMMINGS


SUSAN DENCHFIELD

CAR SHOW SPONSOR AND HOST

DANIEL JOBE & CAPITOL CADILLAC


TOM MCQUEEN

CAR SHOW MASTER OF CEREMONIES

CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA REGION

LIAISON


RICHARD SILLS


Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019

Visit us on the web! www.clcpotomacregion.org

2

RSVP (Accepts Only by January 18, 2020)

Number Attending: x $25 =

Name(s):

Name(s):

Name(s):

Name(s):

Make check payable to

CLC Potomac Region and mail to:

BILL HILLIARD, TREASURER

12602 ELDRID CT

SILVER SPRING MD 20904-3505

Announcing the Potomac Region’s

Annual Holiday Party

Join your fellow Potomac Region Members for good food,

beverages and holiday cheer!

Enjoy the Springfield Buffet

• Mixed Greens with Almonds and Dried Cranberries (Balsamic Vinaigrette and Ranch Dressing)

• Chicken Florentine with Brandy Cream Sauce

• Beef Bourguignon with Wine, Carrots and Mushrooms

• Whipped Garlic Potatoes

• Roasted Vegetables

• Warm Rolls and Butter

• Assorted Cakes and Pies

• Coffee and Tea

• Cash Bar: Wine, Beer, Cocktails

Dress Code: Holiday Casual

Sunday January 26, 2020 12:00 – 4:00 PM

Springfield Golf and Country Club 8301 Old Keene Mill Road

Springfield, Virginia 22152 703-451-8600

Price: $25/per Person Spouses/Significant Others and

Children are welcome! For information, contact

R. Scot Minesinger at 703-283-2021 or

[email protected]

DIRECTIONS FROM

I-495 BELTWAY:

• Take I-495 to Braddock Road West

(Exit #54A)

• Turn left on Rolling Road (VA 638S)

• Turn left on Old Keene Mill Road (VA

644W)

• Club is on your right immediately past

the Shell station

Plenty of parking for your

Cadillac or LaSalle

http://www.clcpotomacregion.org/

mailto:[email protected]


Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


3

NOVEMBER 18, 2019 MEETING MINUTES

BY SANDY KEMPER

PLACE: IHOP restaurant, 775 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD TIME: 7:45 pm

PRESIDING: Secretary Sandy Kemper ATTENDANCE: Randy & Susan Denchfield, Derrick Fisher, Franklin Gage, Dale Graves and

Dianna Moy, Jeff Gurski, Bill Hilliard and Harry Scott

DIRECTOR’S REMARKS: Sandy thanked everyone for attending. Also he thanked Jeff Gurski for bringing one of his models to the meeting to share with everyone. Sandy told everyone that

Director Dan Ruby had surgery on Friday and is unable to attend. Similarly, Charter Member Juan Aranda is recovering, but is still in the Washington Hospital Center. Lastly, club member J.

Roger Bentley is ill, so please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

SECRETARY’S REPORT: The Minutes from the October 2019 meeting were not read since they were published and distributed to all members in the November 2019 newsletter.

TREASURER’S REPORT: The Treasurer’s Report covered the time period from the October 2019 meeting to date. The Region’s income was $2,705.12, mostly from membership renewals.

The expenses for the same time period were $37.10.

MEMBERSHIP REPORT: Our 2019 membership is 180. The annual compliance check with the

National CLC determined that four out of the 180 Region members let their CLC membership expire sometime in 2019. Franklin Gage has emailed each of them informing them if they don't renew their National CLC membership, they won't be eligible to continue their Region

membership into 2020, even though two of them have already pre-paid their Region dues for next year. Regarding the 2020 membership drive, at present 141 members have renewed for

2020 and 37 for 2021. That leaves 39 members from 2019 that have not renewed yet. A friendly reminder that December 15th is the deadline per the membership renewal forms that were US mailed in October. Members who haven’t renewed by then will be contacted by email

and phone.

ACTIVITIES REPORT: The following activities were discussed: 1. Upcoming PR Events:

• Potomac Region Holiday Party 2020. Mark your calendar for Sun, Jan 26 from 12:00

– 4:00 pm, at the Springfield Country Club, for the Holiday Party. The flyer with many details was published in the November newsletter.

• 2020 Washington Auto Show, Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C., Fri, Jan 24 – Sun, Feb 2. Thanks to Daniel Jobe, we have been allotted the same display area for the show as we have enjoyed in recent years. Put the

show dates on your calendars because we will need volunteers to staff our exhibit space. Spending half a day at our exhibit will serve our Region and allow you to see the Auto

Show for free! Franklin Gage will serve as our Auto Show coordinator. More details soon.



Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


4

• Spring Car Show and Automobilia Auction at Capitol Cadillac. Mark your 2020

calendar for Sun, Apr 26 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. More details to follow. 3. Other Upcoming Events:

• 30th Annual East Coast Indoor Nationals, Maryland State Fairgrounds,

Timonium, MD, Sat-Sun, Dec 7-8. Most of the 300+ cars are street rods & customs, but there are original & antique cars in the show also. Show cars are determined by a

pre-show approval and invitation process. • Mecum Auction, Kissimmee, FL, Thu-Sun, Jan 2–12. CLC members can obtain free

bidder passes as a CLC membership benefit. Franklin Gage and Dan Ruby are planning to

attend. • CLC 2020 Winter Board Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, Tue-Sat, Jan 28–Feb 1.

All CLC members are welcome to attend. The Host Hotel is The Drury Inn & Suites, located in a historic building in the Central Business District on Poydras Street. If there are any topics you would like addressed, please contact Jack McClow, Region National

Director.

To view more events, visit http://www.clcpotomacregion.org/eventslisting.htm

NEXT MEETING: The next meeting will be on Monday, February 17, 2020, 7:30 pm at the Silver Diner, 8150 Porter Road, Falls Church [Merrifield], VA, unless announced otherwise.

ADJOURNMENT: Meeting adjourned at 8:45 pm.

CLC members receive a 15% discount on all parts purchased directly from Capitol Cadillac’s Parts Department.

Club members receive a 10% discount on all parts when their vehicle is in the shop for repairs and labor is involved.


http://www.clcpotomacregion.org/eventslisting.htm


Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


5

SAVE THE DATES - YOU ARE NEEDED!

2020 Washington Auto Show

Walter E. Washington Convention Center 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW, Washington, D.C., 20001

January 24 – February 2, 2020

Thanks to Capitol Cadillac's Daniel Jobe, the Potomac Region will once again have a booth at the Washington Auto Show. The 2020 show will run from Friday, January 24th – Sunday, February

2nd at the Washington Convention Center, easily accessible by Metro.

We are one of only two car clubs with exhibit space at this prestigious event. This is a great opportunity to promote the Cadillac & LaSalle Club and the Potomac Region. Our space will be

in the same prime location as prior years: at the top of the escalator from the show entrance, just outside the main exhibition hall.

Please take a look at the Show schedule below and check your availability. The Auto Show is open on weekdays and weekends. We will need two people to staff our space for the entire time. It is likely that we will divide the schedule below into two shifts of approximately 3-4

hours each for the weekdays (Mon-Thurs) and three shifts for the weekends, including Fridays.

Friday, Jan. 24 12:00PM – 10:00PM Saturday, Jan. 25 10:00AM – 10:00PM Sunday, Jan. 26 10:00AM – 7:00PM

Monday, Jan. 27 12:00PM – 9:00PM Tuesday, Jan. 28 12:00PM – 9:00PM

Wednesday, Jan. 29 12:00PM – 9:00PM Thursday, Jan. 30 12:00PM – 9:00PM

Friday, Jan. 31 12:00PM – 10:00PM Saturday, Feb. 1 10:00AM – 10:00PM Sunday, Feb. 2 10:00AM – 6:00PM

As you can imagine, to run a booth for this period of time requires a large number of member

volunteers. As a volunteer, you will be eligible for a free pass into the Auto Show allowing you to see all the great exhibits, in addition to talking with attendees about our Club.

Franklin Gage has offered to coordinate the volunteers to staff the booth. Contact Franklin at

[email protected] and/or 703-869-8434 for more information and to select the shifts that you can cover.




Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


6

2019 CLC NATIONAL DRIVING TOUR

STORY BY CHUCK PIEL PHOTOS BY LYNN GARDNER AND CHUCK PIEL

As I’ve stated before, one of the most fun and enriching things my wife,

Debbie, & I do in the CLC is participate in National Driving Tours (NDT). This year’s Tour did not disappoint and had the added benefit of being relatively

local to us, based out of Gettysburg, PA. It gave us an opportunity to drive our ’67 DeVille Convertible, completing a year in which we also drove it to the Grand National in Louisville, KY.

Kudo’s to our friends in the Valley Forge Region for setting-up another winning Tour. If you enjoy the fall colors, lush scenery, historic sites and interesting and varied

car/vehicle collections, then the Gettysburg area is the place to be this time of year. A wonderful Tour was planned by Michael Stinson, Jack & Nancy Hotz and numerous other folks in the Valley Forge Region (VFR), with neighboring regions chipping in to help. Special recognition

to Lynn Gardner, our Potomac Region liaison to the VFR, for providing much assistance, including soliciting sponsors for the program book and taking a lot of pictures!

This year’s Tour included 58 participants driving 19 Cadillacs (excluding rentals) from 14 states as far west as California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington and as far south as Alabama, Florida

and Georgia. The attendees represented 12

regions. We were able to reunite with some friends from last year’s NDT in Southern

California, as well as make some new friends. Ron & Annette Benneche drove their ’56 CDV from Madison, GA, as they did last year. Eddie &

Suzanne Bibb with grandson Kade Chessman drove their ’76 Fleetwood from Birmingham, AL.

Southern California friends Rob & Linda Leonard and Fay & Don Feeney attended. Stephen Page

from Vadnais Hills, MN drove the longest distance in his 2002 Eldorado Special Edition. Our oldest participating car was a ’41 Series 62

Convertible Coupe driven by Michael & Peggy Engard of Pottstown, PA (pictured left). Several

‘47 cars were on the Tour including a Convertible Coupe owned by Rob & Chevonne Robison of Yorklyn, DE and a Series 62 Sedan driven by Robert & Sarah Schles of Wilmington, DE.

Our host hotel was the Wyndham in Gettysburg, which in my opinion is one of the best hotels for

a car meet/event that I have encountered. In fact, the Wyndham was seriously considered as the host hotel for the 2017 Grand National that ended up centered in Tysons Corner, VA. This

hotel has developed quite a following among car clubs. It was the host hotel for the 2016 Professional Car Society (PCS) National Meet and it hosted an Old Dominion Region Packard Driving Tour that was held at the same time as our NDT event!



Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


7

The main arrival day was Monday, October 21. Some participants went on an optional tour to

the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, PA. Debbie & I didn’t make that one as I had visited the site several years ago. It is a fitting and somber Memorial to the very heroic folks that prevented further tragedy on 9/11. That evening the NDT kicked off with a reception and cash

bar at the hotel. Among the new friends that we met were Ed & Robin Burke of Macungie, PA, who brought Ed’s grandfather’s ’59 Series 62 sedan. The appetizers were plentiful enough that

we didn’t need to have dinner afterwards! Everyone was excited about getting the Tour started the next day.

Tour Day 1 – Tuesday, October 22 – Antietam Battlefield and Covered Bridges

We started the day by heading south to Maryland for the Antietam Battlefield and a trio of picturesque covered bridges – a roundtrip of about 110 miles. The bad news was that Tuesday

was forecast to have heavy rain and wind in the afternoon. (The good news was the forecast was clear for the rest of the week!). Debbie & I decided to pair up with two other drivers who needed navigators: Michael Stinson in his Firethorn Red ’76 Fleetwood and Lynn Gardner in his

Jennifer Blue ’75 Sedan Deville, respectively.

Starting out under an overcast sky, we had a scenic drive through the country and over several

mountains. When we summited South Mountain, we encountered some pretty serious fog, which cleared as we descended into Boonsboro, MD, near the Antietam battlefield town of Sharpsburg.

As we parked at the Visitor Center, we could see that the battlefield area had been well preserved. The Visitor Center is built on a vista from which you get an excellent panoramic view

of most of the sites the battle that took place on September 17, 1862. While there we saw several groups of soldiers and officers who were on-site to study the battlefield and tactics that

were employed by the combatants.

Antietam was the site where General Robert E. Lee met the first consolidation of Union troops

under General George McClellan to confront Lee’s invasion of Maryland. Within the space of seven hours, 7,650 soldiers on both sides died in battle, the single bloodiest day in American history. While McClellan succeeded in blunting Lee’s advances for the time being, military

historians give him very mixed reviews on his overall performance.



Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


8

After a tour of the

Visitor Center Museum and consuming an

excellent box lunch, we got a presentation

by a park ranger at an excellent vantage point of the

battlefield, after which we drove our

cars on a self-guided tour of the battlefield. It was both an

enjoyable but sobering excursion,

considering the incredible loss of life that occurred on that

battlefield.

From Antietam, we began our return trip which would take us through three covered bridges

around Thurmont, MD. However as we were leaving, the rain and wind kicked up mightily. Most of us, Lynn and Debbie & I included, opted to take a more direct route back to the hotel. After some drinks and friendly banter in the NDT Hospitality Room, we had dinner there with

several of our friends, after which we called it a night.

Tour Day 2 – Wednesday, 10/23 – AACA Museum – Hershey, PA

Wednesday dawned beautiful and sunny, the opposite of the day before. On this day, the

Tour took everyone to the AACA Museum in Hershey, PA, a round trip of about 130 miles. A special treat of this tour was a special look

at the “behind the scenes” garage area of the Museum that is normally off limits to visitors

(pictured left). CLC Past President (and Central Pennsylvania Region Director and Potomac Region member) Richard Sills, who is

also on the Board of the Museum, was instrumental in setting this up.



Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


9

Inside the Museum, the themed exhibit on

display was “Studebaker Cool,” (pictured top right) celebrating the iconic brand that started life building wagons, quite a

contrast to the later Golden Hawks and Avantis that became famous in the late

‘50s and early ‘60s. Also, on display was the #3 Corvette in which Briggs Cunningham won the 1960 LeMans.

Of course, the AACA Museum is well known for having the largest collection of Tucker automobiles and memorabilia (pictured

middle right), much of which came from the estate of David Cammack of Arlington,

VA. Many of our Potomac Region members knew Mr. Cammack. The collection includes three Tuckers, including the first

production car and the only Tucker built with an automatic transmission. It also

includes a “movie Tucker” from the famous 1988 film about its namesake.

In addition to visiting the Museum, Debbie

& I took a side trip to run the prior day’s aborted route to the Maryland covered bridges. I can’t say enough about how

perfect the day was with the fall colors and crystal-clear weather. The route took us to

three bridges: Utica, Loys Station (pictured bottom right) and Roddy Road, all within about five miles of each other in the

general vicinity of Thurmont, MD. Each had a side picnic/park area with grills and

restrooms – perfect spots for future excursions and picnics. Thurmont is also famous for one other “site,” Camp David.

That would have been a great addition to the tour!

Wednesday night’s dinner was an informal barbeque back at the hotel. Everyone enjoyed some good food and lots of

discussion about the beautiful drives we just experienced.



Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


10

Tour Day 3 – Thursday, 10/24 – Gettysburg National Military Park

Another beautiful day, but Thursday didn’t involve much driving. In fact, there was only about 10 miles on the Tour. However, if you are any kind of history buff, this was a day to look forward to as the group was touring the Gettysburg Civil War Battlefield. We caravanned from

the hotel to the Visitor Center of the Gettysburg Military Park. There we viewed an excellent movie that outlined the strategic points of the battle and we toured a very impressive museum

that covered not only the battle, but the events that led up to it and its important aftermath, including Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

After lunch in the Visitor Center’s cafeteria, we boarded a specially guided tour bus with a very

knowledgeable guide. I had taken a cassette-guided, car tour years earlier, but didn’t get nearly the “background color” and detail that our tour guide provided. The battle occurred on July 1-3,

1863, representing Lee’s most northern penetration of Union territory. The outcome was a crucial Union victory that served as a turning point for the Civil War, but sadly represented the bloodiest battle in our military history. Our tour took us to key areas of Seminary and Cemetery

Ridges, representing the Union and Confederate battle lines, respectively. We also stopped at Little Round Top that overlooks Devils Den and the site of the ill-fated Pickett’s charge. Military

history buffs could spend days or weeks to see all the sites and memorials, but we got an excellent and interesting overview in our one-day tour.

Dinner was on our own, so Debbie & I decided to explore old downtown Gettysburg, with a circle

in the middle of town. No sooner had I fed the meter for a primo parking spot for our ’67 “boat” when our new friends Robert & Sarah Schles walked up. We did a little walking tour together

then found the Garryowen Irish Pub for dinner. We knew we had found the right place when a bunch of guys in kilts walked in just after us. It was an excellent dinner.

After we returned to the hotel, we checked on the Schles’ ’47 Sedan, as Robert said the car had blown a water pump. He spent the better part of the day at a local shop recommended by the NDT staff. Not only did Robert get his car fixed, but the owner and his wife cooked lunch for

Robert & Sarah, as well as the shop staff! (I need to find a shop like that!)

Tour Day 4 – Friday, 10/25 – Tour of Car Collections and Racing Museum

Friday’s itinerary took us to two PA-based vehicle collections and the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing (EMMR) in York Springs, PA, trips totaling between 65-70 miles.

Our first stop was the Frank Buck Collection located on the outskirts of Gettysburg. It resides on

a bucolic 300-acre farm. A long tree-lined drive brought us to the Buck house and large out-buildings, where Mr. Buck was waiting for us. The front of the building led us into a large garage

space and office, where there were a lot of WWII and military memorabilia. Frank is an avid collector of WWII artifacts associated with key campaigns and battles, especially D-Day / Normandy. Part of his collection includes personal memorabilia from General Mark Clark.



Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


11

The first thing I saw in the garage

was a stunning burgundy 1932 Packard 12 Dietrich convertible sedan with a V-windshield (pictured

left). This wasn’t just a Dietrich design; this car was one of the very

rare Dietrich-built cars. There was another significant Packard and some C-1 Corvette race cars that

Frank and his son drove. There were also several WWII military

jeeps, many of which were completely original with very low mileage. Some were purchased

after the war as surplus and had never been restored.

At this point, Frank suggested we join him in the rear building where the “Big Toys” were stored. There

we found some immense vehicles, including two Sherman tanks, which

were the smallest vehicles in the building. Frank made his living as a Peterbilt Truck dealer in eastern PA,

so he is well versed and equipped to handle some immense vehicles,

including armored vehicles, trucks and semis. However, the biggest and most intriguing vehicle was a

tank transport tractor that was designed to pick-up disabled tanks

from the battlefield and transport them on a special trailer to the rear

area for restoration / refitting. This vehicle included a 60-ton winch and some of the biggest tires I have

ever seen (pictured left). As were most WWII service vehicles, this

truck ran on an immense gas engine, and consumed three gallons to the mile (not three miles per

gallon!).



Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


12

Behind this building was an assortment of other large military vehicles, including a Vietnam-era

river gun boat. Frank mentioned that he is opening a museum in the next several years to more publicly display the military vehicles and give further homage to our service personnel who operated them.

It was now time to venture to our next stop, the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing (EMMR) in York Springs, PA. While leaving the Frank Buck Collection, we encountered his next tour, a long

line of Packards coming into the single lane driveway, so I pulled over and waved them through. There were 12 Packards, including a 1930 740 roadster. It was quite a sight to behold and hear!

At the EMMR, we were greeted by Bill Paxton,

the Curator, who also happens to be a well-known midget and dirt track racer from the

‘60s and ‘70s. Bill graciously gave us a great tour of all the collection, which ranged from a home-built, dirt-track racer built in 1920 from

a Model T (using a metal tractor seat for the driver) to recently retired modern race cars,

including NASCAR (pictured right) and Indy cars.

Along the way, Bill led us over to a wall where

race engines mounted on stands were displayed. This blew me away, as I knew

what some of these engines represented. Included were an original all-aluminum 1969 Corvette ZR-1 427, an original Yenko stamped aluminum Chevy 427 and a Ford Flathead engine

built with Ardun heads. The Ardun heads, designed by Zora Arkus Duntov, predated Duntov’s stint with the early Corvettes, and are extremely rare. It’s pretty sobering to realize those

Ardun heads were worth more than my entire car! Visit EMMR’s website at www.EMMR.org for more information.

Now we were heading to our last stop on Friday’s itinerary, the Bill Wessels Collection in Dillsburg, PA. We were privileged to have visited Bill’s collection several weeks before during the AACA Eastern Fall Meet in Hershey. He has a wonderful collection of Cadillacs that includes

many from the ‘40s, a 1917 Tourer, a 1934 V8 Convertible Sedan and a 1956 4-door open sedan, built as a movie prop to duplicate the Secret Service car that trailed the Kennedy

limousine when JFK was assassinated. 1941 is an extremely well represented year in Bill’s collection, including a beautiful convertible sedan (1 of 400), a 60S, a custom open-front 60S with special opera lamps and an immense Series 75 limo that was custom built by Derham as an

open front town car. My favorite ’41 was a Series 75 limo with padded roof that was ordered new by the Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC, an original Capitol Cadillac car. I can only

imagine some of the “stories” that car could tell. Bill’s collection recently added the 1948 custom Derham limo formerly owned by the late Jack Lowry, who was a long-time member of the Potomac Region.


http://www.emmr.org/


Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


13

1941 Cadillac 1948 Cadillac 1956 Cadillac

I was also intrigued by an immense black 1940 Series 75 Convertible sedan that is all original. Bill mentioned that this was his mother’s favorite car and that any time he took her anywhere,

the front passenger seat in that car was reserved for her! Bill, Lynne Keiser and the Wessels’ team rolled out the red carpet and the “feedbag,” bringing in a generous buffet lunch for our NDT participants and the Packard driving tour folks, who also arrived. All in all, it was great fun

and a very enjoyable visit.

On our way back to the hotel, we detoured off Rt. 15 at York Springs onto Rt. 94 to Mt. Holly

Springs, PA. It is a route I frequently take to go to Carlisle, PA events. This is a road garnished with rolling hills, vineyards and apple orchards, one of the most scenic stretches I have experienced in Pennsylvania, and we were again able to enjoy it in our ’67 convertible!

Friday night found us on our own again for dinner. Along with our friends, Robert & Sarah Schles, we decided to try the Dobbin House Restaurant in old-town Gettysburg. I had been a

little reluctant because I thought this might be a tourist trap, with buses invited during the day. However, several other Tour attendees said they had excellent meals, so we decided to give it a

try. Gettysburg was very crowded due to festivities celebrating upcoming Halloween, so parking was tight. However, as we cruised through the lot in the ’67, several ladies from across the alley shouted for us to park in the bus spot reserved next to the main building. No busses go

there at night plus they wanted to look at the car. With this accommodation, we went into the fine dining area of the restaurant (a building that dates from 1776) and enjoyed a very

scrumptious dinner!

Tour Day 5 – Saturday, 10/26 – Swigart Museum and Lake Raystown

Saturday, the last official day of the NDT, dawned overcast with a threat of rain later in the day.

Today’s routes promised to be the longest of the Tour, totaling about 190 miles all together.

Our first stop was to the Swigart Museum in Mt. Union PA. It is the oldest known antique

automobile museum in the US, dating back to 1920! We had a pleasant drive of almost 80 miles through several mountains and across several rivers and lakes. We had a choice of two routes, one for trucks that had less turns and slightly fewer steep hills and the other more challenging.



Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


14

We wimped out and chose the truck route, which still included many switch-back turns and steep

grades! Upon arrival, we found they were having a local cruise-in, so our Cadillacs just added to the assortment of collector cars.

In the Museum, we

encountered several docents, including Mrs. Swigart, the

daughter-in-law of the founder. There were many very interesting early pre-

1920 cars on display. The cars ranged from 1899 all the

way to 1961, with the latter represented by a pristine Eldorado Biarritz convertible

(pictured top left). I was especially entranced by a

1930 Duesenberg J Murphy bodied convertible coupe, a 1948 Tucker (the famous “Tin

Goose”) and a 1936 Duesenberg V-12 Speedster

(pictured bottom left). Yes, that’s right, a V-12 Duesenberg! I mentioned to

Mrs. Swigart that I had never heard of a Duesy with a V-12

and she agreed, stating this was the ONLY ONE built. It actually was labeled a “Baby

Duesenberg” because the engine displacement was

smaller than the enormous Straight 8 Lycoming engine all other Duesenberg J and SJ

cars ran. We also enjoyed the Museum’s immense toy

collection dating from the earliest 20th century to a

pretty complete collection of Franklin Mint models.



Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


15

Meanwhile, the cruise-in staff had asked our youngest tour mate, Kade Chessman (grandson of

Eddie & Suzanne Bibb) to pick the “best of show” for the cars displayed. Kade made a very-wise choice and named the winner, a terrific ’69 Mustang Mach 1 with a 428 Cobra Jet engine. It should also be noted that Kade is the youngest certified CLC judge, having judged at the last

two Grand Nationals!

From the Swigart Museum we ventured about 22 miles to our last stop on the tour, a buffet

lunch at the Raystown Lake resort. Again, we enjoyed an amazing display of fall colors en-route. Upon arrival, we had an excellent buffet lunch in a special dining room at the marina overlooking the Lake.

Our 85-mile drive back was both pleasant and challenging. It was beginning to mist with light

rain as we transcended Tuscarora Mountain, which includes a 9% downhill grade. While Debbie enjoyed the scenery during our descent, I downshifted and tried to save my drum brakes as much as possible. The brakes were chattering pretty loudly by the time we got to the bottom.

We later found out that Ron & Annette Benneche had lost the brakes in their ’56 CDV, but Ron was able to safely stop the car by gearing down to an uphill grade. WOW!

Back at the hotel we were able to wind down a little before our farewell banquet. We had an excellent meal and drinks. Greg Duthie from Oregon gave us a little overview of the 2020 NDT, to be hosted by the Mt. Hood and Pacific Northwest Regions and scheduled for August at Mt.

Hood and Mt. St. Helens. We are planning to attend!

Michael Stinson handed out the following awards:

First Registration Received: Jack & Sandy Moline, Ocala, FL Oldest Participating Car: Mike & Peggy Engard, 1941 Series 62 Convertible

Hard Luck Award: Eddie & Suzanne Bibb, 1976 Fleetwood – starter failed Longest Distance Driven: Stephen Page, Vadnais Heights, MN, 2002 Eldorado

Michael specially recognized Jack & Nancy Hotz (pictured left), as

well as others (listed below) who helped plan this Tour, all to a great round of applause.

Mike & Vicki Barruzza Bud & Barbara Coleman Lynn Gardner Jeff Hansen Mike Marchese Rob & Chevonne Robison

Toni Rothman Robert Schles John & Helen Wood Cliff Woodbury

All things considered, the 2019 National Driving Tour was another fun-filled event that enabled us to spend time with old friends and make a lot of new ones, all while enjoying our beloved Caddies.

That’s what the CLC is all about. We can’t wait to do the same at next year’s NDT in Oregon!



Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


16

SEVEN ICONIC V-16 CADILLACS SET FOR RM’S SOTHEBY’S ARIZONA AUCTION

STORY BY BOB GOLFEN PHOTOS BY RM SOTHEBY

THE CLASSIC CARS.COM JOURNAL

NOVEMBER 10, 2019

The seven classic V-16 Cadillacs that will be auctioned in January

Some of the most glorious Full Classics of the 1930s are V-16 Cadillacs, their massive engines testament to the exceptional engineering of the luxury cars marketed as “The Standard of the

World.” Catching a glimpse of any Cadillac V-16 model on a show field is a memorable experience, especially seeing the impressive and finely detailed engine under its hood. In

January, RM Sotheby’s Arizona auction will present seven of them, all terrific examples of V-16 Cadillacs from a single collection and each offered without a reserve price.

Each car is a significant model from a single collection, all of them offered at no reserve! The cars come from noted collector John D. Groendyke of Enid, Oklahoma, who is well-known in the classic car hobby for owning some of the finest American and European cars from the classic era,

including 17 significant examples of the top-rung Cadillacs powered by V16 engines.

John D. Groendyke

with the seven

Cadillacs coming

out of his collection



Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


17

“The Cadillac V-16 was an engineering tour de force as the first production automobile equipped

with a V-16 engine, during a time when even V8s were exclusive to luxury manufacturers,” RM Sotheby’s says in a news release. “Cadillac’s V-16 engine was essentially two engines in one, sharing a crankcase and crankshaft, first developing 160bhp, eventually rising to 185bhp and

with torque aplenty at 300 (pound-feet) at idle.

“Engineering prowess aside, the engine is also aesthetically a work of art, said to be the first

production-car powerplant that was truly styled, with sleek design and minimal clutter.”

The seven cars going to auction from Groendyke’s stable are led by a fully

restored 1930 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton by Fleetwood with fully

matching numbers and its original chassis, engine, axles, coachwork and other components. The car spent

more than 20 years stored not only indoors but in the owner’s living room.

“The Sport Phaeton was formerly owned for three decades by CCCA member Walden J. Schmitz, who

purchased it from the estate of its original owner in the early 1960s,” the

news release says.

“Schmitz restored the car and took it to CCCA meets through the early 1970s, after which he put

it in his living room, until it was sold from his estate in 1998.” The pre-auction estimated value is $900,000 to $1.2 million.

Another remarkable example is a 1935 Cadillac V-16 Imperial Convertible Sedan by Fleetwood,

formerly of the Richard Gold, Dr. Barbara Atwood, and Andrews Collections, wearing a well-maintained restoration by Steve Babinsky. This beauty is valued at $600,000 to $750,000.

The other five Cadillacs from the Groendyke collection are:

• 1931 Cadillac V-16 Seven-Passenger Imperial Sedan by Fleetwood, among the finest original, unrestored V-16s, beautifully preserved and with known history from new.

The Imperial Sedan was formerly owned by noted restorer “Cadillac Jim” Pearson. Estimated value, $100,000 to $150,000.

• 1932 Cadillac V-16 Five-Passenger Sedan by Fleetwood, beautifully restored in the original color of Viceroy Maroon and an ideal CARavan and tour automobile. Estimated value, $175,000 to $225,000.

1930 Cadilllac V-16 Sport Phaeton



Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


18

• 1933 Cadillac V-16 All-Weather Phaeton, restored with a correct Fleetwood body and

formerly of the Fred Weber and Aaron Weiss collections, valued at $300,000 to $350,000. • 1936 Cadillac V-16 Town Sedan by Fleetwood, the sole survivor in this style, sporting

a well-preserved restoration by Fran Roxas and formerly of the noted William Ruger, Jr.

collection. Estimated value, $250,000 to $300,000. • 1939 Cadillac V-16 Convertible Coupe by Fleetwood, a rare second-generation V-16,

one of just seven built and formerly in the long-term ownership of Bob Hannay. Estimated value, $225,000 to $275,000.

RM Sotheby’s 2020 Arizona sale takes place January 16-17 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort in

Phoenix, one of the eight collector car auctions taking place during Arizona Auction Week. For more information, visit the auction website.

CLC POTOMAC REGION CLUB STORE

Show Your Club Pride! Order gear at Visit Website

The Region receives a portion of the proceeds.


https://rmsothebys.com/en/home/lots/az20#?SortBy=Default&SearchTerm=&Category=All%20Categories&IncludeWithdrawnLots&Auction=AZ20&OfferStatus=All%20availability&AuctionYear=&Model=Model&Make=Make&FeaturedOnly=false&StillForSaleOnly=false&Collection=The%20John%20D.%20Groendyke%20Collection&WithoutReserveOnly=false&Day=All%20Days&CategoryTag=All%20Categories&TimedOnly=false&page=1&pageSize=40

https://gmclubapparel.com/collections/clc-potomac-collection


Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


19

CADDIE CLASSIFIEDS

Cars For Sale

1928 Cadillac Series 341-A Touring Sedan – Found with a tree growing thru the back seat – Owned by longtime CLC member, who passed away in 2017, and his family for over 50 years – Placed first in national competition in California – Driven from Bakersfield, CA to Grand Lake Reservoir in Groove, OK in 1995 – Mileage is 07,110 or 107,110 (only five digits on odometer) – Tagged and driven weekly – See pictures – Appraised in late 2018 for $72,200 – Asking $32,000 – For more info, contact Len Kramme at [email protected] or 405-977-7961 – Car is located in Oklahoma City, OK

NEW ARRIVAL 1935 LaSalle Convertible Coupe – To be auctioned at 11:00 AM EST on Wednesday, January 1, 2020 at Kimball M. Sterling, Inc. Auctioneer and Appraiser, 125 West Market Street, Johnson City, TN 37604 by Kimball Sterling, Principle Auctioneer 2476 – From the estate of long-time CLC member Dave Berry of Kingsport, TN – Approximately 72,500 original miles – Original body and chrome – Burgundy leather interior – Original straight eight-cylinder engine w/three-speed standard transmission – Multiple award-winner – See pictures – For more info including Internet bidding, visit website or contact Kimball Sterling at 423-773-4073 (mobile) or [email protected]

1937 Cadillac Model 7529 Convertible Sedan – Divider window, very low production – Known history from new – Recent high-quality repaint of original Thessalon Green and new top – Engine and mechanicals rebuilt – Never any rust, original wood excellent condition along with mostly original interior – CLC Senior Car #105 – Excellent tour car – Transported WWII Veterans in 2018 and 2019 National Memorial Day Parades – See picture – Priced to sell at $82,500 or best offer – For more info, contact Harry Scott at 703-791-3278 or [email protected] – Car is located in Nokesville, VA

NEW ARRIVAL 1939 LaSalle 5067 Convertible Coupe – Franconia Beige Iridescent LaSalle originally bought new in New York state for $1,395 and sometime in its life was sold to a buyer in California, where it remained for several years until a Philadelphia doctor found it through a broker and bought it in 1994 – After 12 years of fun, he sold it in 2006 to its current owner with assistance of a local member of the CLC LaSalle Appreciation Society who accompanied the car on delivery to its new Maryland home – The convertible was not perfect, but seemed to be a driver with a noisy manifold gasket – The new owner took a friend out for a ride in it and he said, “I can just see Katharine Hepburn driving this car” – That’s how the car became known as Katharine – In 2010, artist Dan Reed created a beautiful portrait of her that to the owner's surprise graced the cover of the 2011 CLC International Membership Directory

The LaSalle has no back-seat, but instead drop-down “opera” seats on either side – Other specs include a banjo steering wheel, AM radio, large yellow fog lights, brown leather seats and radial wide-white wall tires – Powered by a Cadillac V-8 L-head 125 horsepower engine w/ Syncro-Mesh transmission and torsion ride stabilizers – Since purchased in 2006, the manifold was fixed – Sweet car that drives so nice – Top is proper tan canvas – Passenger door window is cracked, but functions OK – To help prevent vapor lock, the exhaust manifold has been wrapped with insulation, which seems to do the job – Trunk lid has a pair of support arms to hold it when open – One of the supports has a defective cog, which makes it difficult to close the lid when opened fully – No luck trying to find a replacement or getting it repaired

Old starting issues have been resolved by owner's wonderful master mechanic – Radiator has been pulled and re-cored – She's back with a proper 6-volt battery, new electric fuel pump and she starts good like a LaSalle should and runs great – Katharine needs a new loving home – See pictures – Asking $49,900 obo – Due to owner’s limited hearing, please contact Roger Bentley only at [email protected] – Car is located in Brinklow, MD


http://www.clcpotomacregion.org/28cadillacforsale.htm


http://clcpotomacregion.org/35lasalleforsale.htm

http://www.auctionauction.com/dynamic/gallery/David+Berry+Estate+Auction+New+Years+Day-1935+LaSalle,+1936+Ford,+Mascots,+Antique+Pharmacy+items+and+more/2020-01-01


http://clcpotomacregion.org/images/1937CadillacLeftSide.jpg


http://www.clcpotomacregion.org/caddieclassifieds.htm



Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


20

1948 Series 75 Limousine – 46,650 original miles – Although 1,262 examples of the Fleetwood 75 were manufactured in 1948, just 446 cars were built with body style 7533, of which only a small percentage were finished as seven-passenger limousines – Offering great originality and the distinction of executive transport, this exceptional Cadillac is absolutely beautiful – Rare and remarkable originality, offering an outstanding example of Cadillac's celebrated long-wheelbase Fleetwood – Optioned with a Hydra-Matic transmission, radio, heater, and fog lights, and finished in black paint – Driver's seat is black buttoned leather and the rear seat is tan wool and in beautiful condition – Jump seats offer room for a total of nine passengers – Professionally repainted in its original black in the last 15 years – Always garage kept – Don't miss out on your chance to own this rare classic! – See pictures – $32,950 – For more info, contact Baxter Saucier at [email protected] or 337-366-2370 – Car is located in Lafayette, LA

1967 Deville Convertible – Owned by longtime CLC member, who passed away in 2017, and his family for over 35 years – Driven from Bakersfield, CA to Grand Lake Reservoir in Groove, OK in 1995 – 47,021 miles – Tagged and driven weekly – See pictures – Appraised in late 2018 for $22,200 – Asking $14,000 – For more info, contact Len Kramme at [email protected] or 405-977-7961 – Car is located in Oklahoma City, OK

1984 Eldorado Biarritz Convertible – 70,184 miles on this estate-sale vehicle that was purchased about two years ago from its original owner – Very elegant Flax (cream) color paint with recently-replaced burgundy canvas convertible top – Tufted burgundy leather upholstery in very good condition w/door panels and dash pad equally nice – Simulated wood dash trim in good condition – Frame and underside of the car appear free of rust, other than some mineral surface rust – 4.1 Liter V-8 4100 engine starts right up and runs as it should – Power disc brakes bring it to a rapid and safe stop – Much more luxury and safety features – See pictures – Asking $14,900 – For more info, contact the Classic Car Center at 540-370-4474 or [email protected] – Car is located in Fredericksburg, VA

1992 Cadillac Fleetwood – One-owner car with 85k miles – Black with red interior – 4.9L engine runs well – No accidents and all original components – See pictures – Asking $3,500 – For more wonderful car-filled info, contact Craig Falci at 703-901-1059 or [email protected] – Car is located in Rockville, MD

1993 Fleetwood Limousine – S&S conversion – 31,621 miles – Original owner was a funeral home in northern NY state – Current owner since June 2010 – Always garage-kept – Six doors with three rows forward facing leather seats – A/C and heat in the front and rear – Missing chrome rocker on door lock switch, but switch works fine – Clear title with no liens – See pictures – Asking $7,500 – For more info, contact Dan Mayer at 301-325-9827 or [email protected] – Car is located in Knoxville, MD 21758

Commercial Ad

CORY’S CADILLAC PARTS

Purveyor of Fine Cars and Parts

Specializing in ’93 – ’96 Fleetwood Broughams

Cory Kulibert Visit Website

920-210-2225


http://clcpotomacregion.org/48cadillacforsale.htm




http://classiccarcenter.net/carforsale/17222/




http://www.clcpotomacregion.org/93cadillac3forsale.htm

http://www.clcpotomacregion.org/93cadillac3forsale.htm


http/coryscadillacpartsusa.weebly.com/


Potomac Region

Caddie Chronicle

December 2019


21

2019 OFFICERS

NAME

POSITION(S)

PHONE

NUMBER

EMAIL ADDRESS

Dan Ruby Regional Director Automobilia Auctioneer

Summer Picnic Host

301-343-1463 [email protected]

Chuck Piel Assistant Regional Director Central VA Region Liaison

Newsletter Columnist


Bill Hilliard

Treasurer


Sandy Kemper

Secretary Associate Newsletter

Editor


Randy Edison

Activities Director Event Photographer


Lynn Gardner

Car Show Coordinator Newsletter Columnist

Valley Forge Region Liaison


Franklin Gage Membership Director


Vince Taliano Newsletter Editor Website Manager


Jack McClow

National Director Newsletter Columnist












Cadillac & LaSalle Club Potomac Region Caddie Chronicle · Bob Crimmins’ wife, Clara, on their...

Documents

Transcript of Cadillac & LaSalle Club Potomac Region Caddie Chronicle · Bob Crimmins’ wife, Clara, on their...